Real Salt Lake

The 16th MLS season begins in earnest this weekend with parity as the buzz word. The first game took place on Tuesday, when the Los Angeles Galaxy earned a 1-0 win in Seattle against Sounders FC. The remaining 16 MLS teams will open their season on Saturday. That includes the Union, who visit Houston to meet the Dynamo. As the opening game suggested, the Galaxy and their star-studded lineup that includes David Beckham and Landon Donovan and has added high-scoring Juan Pablo Angel (who missed the opener because of illness)

Peanut butter and jelly. Fish and chips. Cheese and pretty much anything. The point? These ingredients complement each other to near perfection, just like Union forwards Sebastien Le Toux and Danny Mwanga. It was a reunion of sorts last night for Le Toux and the rookie Mwanga, who didn't seem to be feeling the effects of an ankle injury that kept him out of action for the last three matches. Against defending Major League Soccer champion Real Salt Lake and without forward Alejandro Moreno - not in the lineup because of an international callup for his native Venezuela in a match against Panama - the Union emerged with a 1-1 tie, fueled by an early Mwanga goal, in the eighth minute.

Considering the opponent on Saturday, the Union played one of the most impressive first halves in their brief existence. One scoring chance came after another as the pressure they applied on Real Salt Lake's defense was as suffocating as the weather. Both sides acknowledged that the Union could have had a sizable lead at intermission instead of a 1-0 edge. The Union paid for their inability to put away Real Salt Lake in the first 45 minutes, settling for a 1-1 draw in a Major League Soccer game in front of a sellout crowd of 18,728 at PPL Park in Chester.

Who: Union (4-10-3) at Real Salt Lake (10-4-5) When: Tonight, 7:30 Where: PPL Park, Chester TV: 6.2 ABC (LiveWell network) Union injuries: Out: MF Shea Salinas (fibula fracture). Questionable: FW Danny Mwanga (groin); MF Stefani Miglioranzi (groin strain); DF Danny Califf (rib contusion). Probable: DF Jordan Harvey (groin strain); MF Roger Torres (ankle sprain). Real Salt Lake injuries: Probable: MF Kyle Beckerman (foot tendon tear); MF Javier Morales (ankle sprain)

  FRIDAY'S RESULT Colorado at Dallas SATURDAY'S GAMES New York at UNION, 7 Chicago at Seattle, 4 Real Salt Lake at New England, 7:30 Los Angeles at D.C. United, 7:30 Columbus at Chivas USA, 10:30 Toronto at San Jose, 10:30 SUNDAY'S GAME Vancouver at Houston, 7

Jack McInerney scored his Major League Soccer-leading seventh goal of the season, and Zac MacMath made six saves to lead the Union to a 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire at a windy Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., on Saturday. McInerney took a 35-yard pass from substitute Sebastien Le Toux in the 75th minute, danced around defender Jalil Anibaba, and slipped the ball by diving goalkeeper Sean Johnson. After the game, McInerney wanted to talk about MacMath. "He definitely kept us in the game in the first half, and that was the goal, to get [to half-time tied]

The Union continued a season-long pattern over the weekend of experiencing difficulty on the road. They also continued a penchant for making costly mistakes in the defensive end. With Saturday's 3-0 loss in Utah to Real Salt Lake, the Union are 1-5 in Major League Soccer games - 0-5 on the road. The defending MLS champions, Real Salt Lake are now 3-3-1. Defender Cristian Arrieta's giveaway led to Real Salt Lake's first goal by Kyle Beckerman. The second score came in the 51st minute when goalkeeper Chris Seitz bobbled a free kick by Javier Morales, allowing Jamison Olave to score on the rebound.

The Union continued a season-long pattern over the weekend of experiencing difficulty on the road. They also continued a penchant for making costly mistakes in the defensive end. With Saturday's 3-0 loss in Utah to Real Salt Lake, the Union are 1-5 in Major League Soccer games - 0-5 on the road. The defending MLS champions, Real Salt Lake are now 3-3-1. Defender Cristian Arrieta's giveaway led to Real Salt Lake's first goal by Kyle Beckerman. The second score came in the 51st minute when goalkeeper Chris Seitz bobbled a free kick by Javier Morales, allowing Jamison Olave to score on the rebound.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER D.C. United (9-8-11, 38 points) at Union (9-7-13, 40 points) Thursday, 8 p.m. at PPL Park. TV: ESPN2. Last MLS game: D.C. United scored a 4-1 win over visiting Real Salt Lake on Saturday. The Union played to a 1-1 draw on Friday at Sporting Kansas City. Outlook: Both teams are in serious running for one of the 10 MLS playoff spots. Entering Wednesday, the Union were the No. 9 seed, and United was No. 11. . . . Union midfielder Freddy Adu, who missed Friday's game with an ankle injury, said Wednesday that he is ready to go. . . . Forward Danny Mwanga missed the last game with a hip flexor and is listed as probable.

Union forward Sebastien Le Toux, who had an assist and a goal-winning penalty goal against Toronto FC on Saturday, was voted the MLS player of the week for the second time this season. "I was lucky to get the PK at the end of the game - and what is more important, to get the win for the team," he said. Earlier, Le Toux was named to play in the MLS All-Star Game. What: MLS All Stars vs. Manchester United. When: Wednesday, July 28, 8:30 p.m. Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston.